Electrical decorative illuminating device



Oct. 16, 1934. PRQPP 1,976,964

- ELECTRICAL DECORATIVE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1931 INVENTOR.

a a ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1934 ELECTRICAL 'DECORATI! E ILLUDIINATING DEVICE Louis Propp, New York, N. Y., assignor to Noma Electric Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 3, 1931, Serial No. 566,625

7 Claims. (01. 40-10) This invention relates to electrical decorative illuminating devices. It is particularly directed to the provision of a highly improved ornamental illuminating unit of the character described, simulating a row of Christmas candles.

One object of the invention is to provide a neat, compact and rugged illuminating unit of the character described, whichshall'be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, comprise ifew and simple parts, be easy to assemble, and which shall be attractive in appearance and yet practical and eflicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of'application will be in- 20 dicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. l is a front view of an illuminating unit em- 25 bodying the invention with parts broken away to show the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line:

22 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on'line 30 33 of Fig.1; T

Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view of the base por-' tion of the illuminating unit shown in Fig. 1;

' Fig. 5 is a partial front elevational view of a modified construction, with parts in cross-sec- .35 tion; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now in. detail to the drawing, 10.

of suitably stamped sheet metal or the like material, bent and shaped into the form shown in 50 the drawing and described hereinafter. The

member 15 is symmetrically formed about the longitudinal vertical mid-section thereof, comprises vertical side wall portions 16 and 17, from the upper end of which there extend inwardly,

55 aligned top wall portions 18 and 19. Extending from said Wall portions 18 and19 are a pair of downwardly extending, parallel, spaced wall portions 20 and 21, respectively, interconnected at the bottom by a downwardly curved bottom Wall 22 and forming an elongated downwardly extending channel 23 for the purposes hereinafter stated.

Extending outwardly from the bottom end portions ofthe Walls 16 and 1'7, are outwardly extending aligned horizontal wall portions 24 and 25. Extending from said wall portions 24, '25 are downwardly and inwardly bent wall portions 26 and 2'7, terminating in upwardly bent end edges 28 and 29, respectively. It will be noted that the member 15 rests upon the wall portions 26, 27 thereof. An elongated flat'sheet of metal -30 may be inserted within the member 15, said member having'edge portions 32 and 33 received between the walls 24 and 26, and between the walls and 27, respectively. The upwardly turned. end edge portions 28 and 29 of wall portions'26, 27, are preferably adapted to press the member upwardly against the undersurface of the'wall portions 24 and 25 and against said curved portion 22.

The member 15 is provided in the manner hereinafter described, witha' plurality of spaced circularopenings 35'for receiving the bottom; ends 36 of the tubular candle simulating members 12a. The openings '35 are formed by properly stamping the blank of which the member 15 is made with a row of aligned suitable shaped o'penings, so that when said member is formed by bending and shaping the blank, the opening 35 will be horizontally circular and disposed on the longitudinal mid-section of the base. At each opening 35, there are also formed pairs of ver-1 tical edges 37 and 38 in the members 20 and 21 for gripping or contacting opposite sides of the lower end of the tubular member 12a inserted therein. Extending from the curved edges 39. and 40 in the top walls 13 and 19, at each of said openings 35, are pairs of tabs'4l and 42, preferably bent downwardly from said top walls, for resiliently and frictionally engaging theside wall. of the inserted tubular member 1211. The socket members 13 may be of usual construction for receiving the small miniature lamps 14, having bulbs of any suitable decorative shape. The sockets 13 may be wired'to each other in, series by means of interconnecting insulated conductor wires 43 extending, thru the tubular mem bers to the underside thereof. One end socket 13 is connected to a wire 45 attached at the outer end thereof, to a' quickly detachable multiple attachment fitting 46. The other end socket 113 may be likewise connected by wire 4'? tosaid fitting 46, whereby the unit as a whole may be connected to a suitable source of electric power, or

5 other similar units 10. The insulated wires 43,

45, i7, it will be noted, extend through the channel 23 formed by the walls 20 and 21. Said wires are retained at the bottom of the channels by the bottom ends of tubular members 12a, and are hence unexposed and housed against tampering. The wire 47, it will be noted, extends along the length of the base and together with the wire 45 projects from the base at one end thereof, for connection to said fitting 46. The sheet metal wall serves as a bottom wall for the underside bf the base and as protection for the wires.

It will be noted that the device may be quickly and readily assembled. The tubular members 12 {with the sockets 13 may be wired separately from the base, and then the tubular members need merely be pushed through the openings and the wiring therefor, placed within the channel 23 from the top of the base. The bottom of the wall 30 may be readily inserted in place from oneend of the base. The wiring is thus amply protected, and the unit as a whole is foolproof.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a modified con struction 10a, comprising a base 11a in the form of an elongated fiat strip of wood or the like 6, material, having a row of spaced, aligned, vertical cylindrical openings 50 for receiving the bottom ends of the tubular candle simulating members 51, provided with sockets and lamps at the upper ends thereof. Each of the tubular mem- 51; bers 51 except the tubular member at one end of the row is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed vertical slots 52 at the'bottom ends 7 thereof, aligned with the mid-section of the base. The sockets for the members 51 are wired in series circuit in the same manner as are the sockets 13 in the form shown in Fig. 1, and the wiring 53 'for said sockets extend downwardly through the tubes and through the upper ends of the slots 5.2. For this purpose the slots preferably project above the upper surface 54 of the base 11a. Ob-

viously, the end tubular'member 51a is only provided with one slot 52, since the wires extending therefrom pass only to the opposite end of the base. The wiring 53 is thus retained against the 59*; upper surface 54 of the base, by the tubular. mem- 3 ornamental illuminating units.

bers 51. For further supporting the tubular members 51, and for covering the wiring 53, there :is superimposed on the base 110., a hollow member :55 preferably made of sheet metal and having a 'top wall 56 spaced from, and parallel to, said base 1111, said top wall 56 being formed with a plurality of circular openings 57 aligned with openings 50, for receiving said tubular members 51. Extending from said top wall 56 are downwardly projecting side walls 59 and 60 formed with outwardly extending flanges 61 and 62, contacting said upper surface 54 of member 11a. The member 55 may be attached to the base 11a by means :of screws 65 or in any other suitable manner.

' The top wall 56 of said member 55 is disposed above the notches 52 so that the wiring 53 is covered to prevent exposure of the wires. The wiring 53' may also be connected to a multiple attachment fitting 45, whereby the unit 10a may be connected to a source of electric power or to other similar units.

The devices 10 may be placed on a support such as a window sill and constitutes as a whole, highly The candle simulating members 12 may be of any suitable height to produce any desired design.

The candle simulating units and the wiring may be applied to the base from the top of the latter and may be removed from the base from the top thereof. The units may thus be wired separately from the base and then assembled therewith, thus facilitating and greatly decreasing the cost of manufacture. No connections are made from the underside of the base.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An illuminating unit of the character described, comprising an elongated base made of sheet material having a pair of aligned top wall portions, 2. pair of vertical portions extending downwardly from the inner ends of said top wall portions, said vertical portions being intercom heated at the bottom and forming an elongated channel, said top wall portions, vertical portions and interconnecting portion being cut away to form openings in the top of the base a'plurality of tubular vertical members mounted on said base and having the lower end thereof inserted in said openings, sockets attached to the upper ends of said tubular members, said sockets being wired in series. circuit, said wiring extending within. said tubular members through the .bottomopen ends thereof and within said'channel, and a removable bottom cover for said base.

2. An elongated base made of sheet metal comprising a pair of aligned, spaced top wall portions, a pair of vertical wall portions extending downwardly from the inner portions of said top wall portions, said vertical walls being interconnected at the bottom and forming a channel, a pair of downwardly extending vertical wall portions extending from the outer portions of said top wall portions, said pair of vertical wall portions, top wall portions and interconnecting portion being cut away to form spaced openings in the top of the base and an elongated strip of sheet material attached at the outer sideedges thereof to the lower portions of said second named pair of vertical walls for covering the underside of said base, tubular members having the bottom ends thereof inserted into said openings in the base, the lower ends of said tubular members communicating with said'channel, sockets attached at the upper ends of said tubular members, and wiring connecting said sockets in series circuit extending within said tubular members and within said channel, and a removable bottom cover for said base.

3. An electric illuminating unit comprising a basemade of sheet material having a plurality of aligned spaced top wall portions, a pair of vertical parallel wall portions extending from the inner portions of said top wall portions, said vertical walls being connected at the bottom thereof, forming. a channel, said top walls and vertical walls and interconnecting portion being cut away to form an opening in the top of said base, and a tubular member having the bottom end thereof inserted within said opening, and a removable bottom cover for said base.

4. An electric illuminating unit comprising .a base made of sheet material having a plurality of aligned spaced top wall portions, a pair of vertical parallel wall portions extending from the inner portions of said top wall portions, said vertical walls being connected at the bottom thereof, and forming a channel, said top walls and vertical walls being cut away to form an opening in the top of said base, a tubular member having the bottom thereof inserted within said opening, and a plurality of tabs extending from the edge of said base at said opening adapted to press against the side wall of said tubular member.

5. An electric illuminating unit comprising a base made of sheet material having a plurality of aligned spaced top wall portions, a pair of vertieal parallel wall portions extending from the inner portions of said top wall portions, said vertical walls being connected at the bottom thereof and forming a channel, said top walls and vertical walls being cut away to form an opening in the top of said base, a tubular member having the bottom end thereof inserted within said opening, a plurality of tabs extending from the edge of said base at said opening adapted to press against the side wall of said tubular member, a socket mounted at the upper end of said tubular member and a pair of electrical conductors attached to the upper ends thereof to said socket, said conductor extending within said tubular member and through the bottom end of said tubular member and within said channel.

6. An elongated base made of sheet metal comprising a pair of aligned spaced top wall portions, a pair of vertical wall portions extending downwardly from the inner portions of said top wall portions, said vertical walls being interconnected at the bottom and forming a channel, a pair of downwardly extending vertical wall portions extending from the outer portions of said top wall portions, a pair of outwardly extending portions extending from the lower portion of said last named pair of vertical wall portions, and inwardly turned wall portions extending from the outer portions of said outwardly extending portions, an elongated strip of sheet metal having the edges thereof slidably received between said outwardly extending wall portions and said inwardly turned wall portions for covering the underside of said base, said top wall portions and first mentioned pair of vertical wall portions having cut outs therein forming spaced openings, tubular members having the bottom ends thereof inserted into said openings, lamp sockets mounted at the upper ends of said tubular members, and wiring connecting said sockets in series circuit extending within said tubular members and within said channel.

7. An elongated base made of sheet metal comprising a pair of aligned spaced top wall portions, a pair of vertical wall portions extending downwardly from the inner portions of said top wall portions, said vertical wall portions being interconnected at the bottom and forming a channel, a pair of downwardly extending vertical wall portions extending from the outer portions of said top wall portions, a pair of outwardly extending portions extending from the lower portions of said last named pair of vertical wall portions, and inwardly turned wall portions extending from the outer portions of said out wardly extending portions, an elongated strip of sheet metal having the edges thereof slidably received between said outwardly extending wall portions and said inwardly turned wall portions for covering the underside of the base, a tubular candle simulating member mounted on said member, a lamp socket at the upper end of said tubular member and wiring attached to said socket and extending through said tubular member and within said channel.

LOUIS PROPP. 

